A Day To Forget
by Candybree
Summary: Ianto sees Jack interrogate someone and can't handle it.
1. Chapter 1

WARNING: Graphic torture

Spoilers: General for seasons 1 and 2

A/N: this is my first (and probably last) real multi-chapter fic and is nothing like what I usually write. A bunny bit me while watching Countrycide and wouldn't let go. Thank you to queenfluffernutter for putting up with me and my crazyness and for supporting me when I didn't want to write it anymore. Ianto's family is AU because I like to ignore the fact COE exists and everything related to it.

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"Where's Jack?" Ianto asked, putting the sacks of food down.

"He's down in the interrogation room." Owen snapped.

"Alone?" Ianto asked, handing out everyone's food.

"He's locked us out." Tosh told him, smiling her thanks. "He did this growl thing and then he went down. Owen tried to follow him but he sealed the door. We've been trying to get in but no luck yet. He's also cut the CCTV feed and nothing I've tried has been able to get it working."

"I don't understand why he would do something like this." Gwen whined. "I told him we should talk to the alien. Be friendly and get him to open up and help us. Jack just kind of glared. If we just offer him friendship I'm sure he will be more than happy to help us out." Owen snorted and Gwen glared at him giving Ianto time to school his expression before she turned back to him. "Can you talk to him? He just ignores us when we try to contact him. Maybe tell him you have coffee for him. That will bring him out!"

Ianto cleared his throat to stifle a laugh. "I'll do my best Gwen."

Gwen beamed at him and went back to her station to work on her latest project.

"I know you aren't a miracle worker Yan but if there's anything you can do to find out what's going on we could use the help." Tosh said softly. "Jack's on his own down there and we have no way of knowing if he needs help."

"I'll find a way to get to him Tosh. Don't worry." Ianto reassured her.

Ianto made his way through the Hub towards Jack's office, picking up the rubbish as he went, and closed and locked the door behind him. He opened the hatch to Jack's quarters and slid down the ladder, taking a moment to breath in the comforting scent of Jack before moving to the bedside table. He pulled out the little black book Jack had shown him and flipped through it until he found the code for the lockbox and the code to override the lock Jack had put on the doors with his wrist strap.

Ianto sat on the bed heavily and stared at the book in his hands.

Jack had locked himself down there for a reason and he had turned off the CCTV for a reason as well. But like Tosh said, anything could be happening. Jack could need their help and they wouldn't know.

Ianto took a deep breath before he got off the bed and opened the armoire. He pulled up the false bottom and gently removed the heavy lockbox from within.

His hands shook as he punched in the code and pressed his thumb to the little scanner pad and twitched as his hand started to tingle.

There was a small click and the top of the lockbox popped open.

Ianto picked up the small disc and held it in the palm of his hand. He carefully entered the override code into the disc and slipped it into his pocket.

Ianto took one last deep breath, savouring Jack's scent, before he climbed back up the ladder and into Jack's office. Ianto slipped unnoticed though the main area of the Hub and managed to reach the door to the interrogation rooms without drawing attention to himself.

The disc beeped in his pocket when grabbed the locked doorknob and Ianto smiled as he heard the lock click and the door swung open. Ianto slipped inside and let the door swing shut behind him, the lock clicking back into place.

Ianto made swiftly made his way down the empty corridor, peering into the interrogation rooms as he passed, looking for his captain and their prisoner.

Ianto reached the last room and when he peered into the room his blood ran cold.

Jack was standing in front of the chair, his sleeves rolled up, blue shirt undone so it revealed the white t-shirt beneath and swung around his body as he moved. Ianto could see sweat on Jack's face and blood staining the white cotton shirt, telling the young man Jack had been at this for a while. Probably since he left to get their lunches.

The prisoner was chained to the chair by his wrists and ankles, unable to move away from Jack's beating. Jack moved to the side and Ianto could see that the prisoner's face was swollen and bruised already, blood streaming from his nose and other cuts on his face and neck.

Ianto watched stunned as Jack slammed the man's face into the table, a gash opening on the man's forehead and spraying Jack with a little more blood. Ianto heard the rumble of Jack's voice and a pause which Ianto assumed was Jack waiting for an answer. Jack obviously didn't get the answer he was looking for because he backhanded the man twice before punching him, the man's head snapped to the side every time Jack's hand connected.

Jack moved away from the man and Ianto thought it was over until he saw Jack put a black bag onto the table. Ianto's heart froze as he realized Jack was just getting started.

Jack pulled out a rod and pushed it against the man's side. Ianto watched as the man jumped and convulsed as electricity shot through him. Jack pulled the rod away and the man slumped forward until Jack made contact again. The man shook and struggled, his mouth open in a silent scream every time Jack used the rod.

Ianto felt his heart stop when he saw Jack's face. It was blood splattered and he was smiling. He was enjoying what he was doing to the other man.

Ianto watched, transfixed, as Jack pressed the rod against the man's chest, just to the right of his heart.

When Jack let up this time the man's head dropped forward to his chest, hanging there boneless. Jack lifted the man's head and backhanded him again. His head dropped forward again as soon as Jack let it go but Ianto saw a twitch showing the man was still conscious.

The man lifted his head, shaking with the effort and looked Jack in the eye as he spit in Jack's face. Jack roared, a primal noise Ianto had never heard from Jack before. Jack started yelling at the man, spittle raining down on the man as Jack threw careless punches into the meat of his body.

Ianto whimpered as he saw the man start coughing up blood and Jack still didn't slow his assault. Instead the grin on his face only grew wider.

Ianto watched in horror as Jack pulled a long, slim Bowie knife from the bag. Ianto knew from cleaning it that it was sharp and could slice through skin like it was butter.

Jack started by just pressing the blade against the man's arm. A shallow gash opened and blood started trickling down his arm, dripping on the ground because his clothes were already too saturated with blood to hold any more.

Jack slowly cut into more of the man's body, the cuts slowly getting longer and deeper until the man's scream was unending and ragged.

Jack made a deep gash in the man's stomach, the flesh splitting like two red lips and creating a gaping mouth that Jack pushed his free hand into so he could grasp the man's innards.

The screaming stopped and Ianto thought the man had finally passed out but saw that Jack had removed his hand because the man was speaking.

When the man finished talking Jack moved behind him and pushed his head forward before pulling the knife across his throat roughly, killing the man almost instantly.

Jack wiped his hands on a towel from the bag and slipped everything back inside before going to the door.

Jack gasped when he left the room and literally bumped into Ianto, getting blood on the younger man's suit.

"Yan..." Jack started. "Wha...how..."

"You gave me the pass code just in case." Ianto whispered, still too stunned to move. "I came down to get you for lunch and to see if you were having any problems. I couldn't figure out why you would lock yourself down here but I guess I know now."

"You just...you killed him." Ianto's voice broke and he was suddenly finding it hard to breathe. "You beat him up..._tortured_ him and then killed him."

"It was the only way Yan." Jack whispered. "He was a warrior. The only way to get information from him was to make him hurt. I've dealt with his kind before Yan. They will destroy the world without a second thought unless we stop them and the only way to stop them is to find out their plans. If there was any other way..."

"You enjoyed it." Ianto whimpered.

Ianto backed up until he hit the wall and couldn't move any further, staring wide eyed at the man he thought he knew.

Jack reached out towards Ianto but let his hand drop when he saw the younger man flinch away.

"Yan..."

"I'm sorry Jack. I just can't." Ianto said, the words tumbling from his mouth in a rush "Sorry."

Ianto slid along the wall until he was definitely out of Jack's reach and with a final sorry he turned and rushed down the hallway, trying to escape what he had just witnessed.

Jack watched as Ianto disappeared down the hall and he heard the outer door slam shut behind him, leaving him completely alone.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ianto!" Gwen scolded when Ianto entered the main area of the hub. "Where have you been? We need to know what Jack's up to and if he's okay. You were supposed to be finding us a way into the interrogation rooms."

"He's fine Gwen. I already talk to him." Ianto replied gruffly, trying to get away from her. "If Jack asks I've gone to _my_ flat okay Tosh?"

"Sure Yan." Tosh replied instantly. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm not feeling too well right now." Ianto grabbed everything he thought he would need for the night from his desk while he talked with Tosh.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not really. I'm just going to go home and try to forget that today ever happened." Tosh jumped when Ianto slammed the desk drawer shut. "Sorry Tosh. I'm just really not feeling like myself."

"It's okay Yan. Just go home and get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow okay?"Tosh gave Ianto a soft smile and a kiss on the cheek before he left.

Ianto gave her a tight smile back and glanced quickly at the door to the interrogation rooms before he quickly left the Hub.

"Where did Ianto just go?" Gwen demanded. "And where's Jack? Ianto was supposed to get him!"

"Ianto wasn't feeling well so he went home." Tosh explained. "And I'm sure Jack will be up in a minute, he's probably just finishing up what he was doing."

Tosh turned back to her work, effectively dismissing Gwen who pouted but went back to her work as well.

Jack came bounding into the main area a few minutes later and a quick glance told him Ianto wasn't there.

"Okay kids, we've done all we can for today. Go home and get some rest. We'll finish everything up tomorrow." Jack called.

Gwen and Owen immediately gathered their things and headed out before Jack could change his mind, but Tosh hesitated.

"Ianto said he wasn't feeling well so he left early. He said he was going to his flat." Tosh told Jack after the others had left. "Is everything okay? He seemed fine this morning and he didn't seem like himself when he left. I'm a little worried about him."

"We had a...disagreement of sorts." Jack told her. "He's mad at me right now and I have no idea how he'll feel tomorrow."

"I'll keep an eye on him Jack." Tosh promised. "But you have to make sure you try to work things out with him. Knowing Ianto he'll just bottle it up and never try to face it."

"I'll do my best Tosh. Now why don't you head home and get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow."

"Good night Jack." Tosh said, packing up her laptop and leaving Jack alone in the Hub.

Jack slowly made his way to his office and down the hole to his bunker, realizing for the first time how much Ianto had become part of his life.

He felt lost without the last cup of coffee his Welshman would bring him, without Ianto's warm body pressed against his in the tiny bed, which suddenly felt too big. Jack missed how Ianto would smile indulgently when he went off on a tangent that had nothing to do with what they were talking about. He missed the way Ianto would laugh freely, not hiding himself from the world when they were alone.

Jack missed his Ianto.

_His_ Ianto.

Jack laughed bitterly. After what Ianto had seen Jack didn't see how Ianto would ever be able to look at him again let alone be his again.

He should have been stronger. Should have resisted the urge. Should have known better.

Jack screamed in frustration at his stupidity as tears started to trail down his cheeks.

He rummaged through the nightstand drawer until he found the well-worn journal. It fell open in his hands and pictures of Ianto tumbled out.

Jack stared at the pictures, tracing the perfect features of the Welshman.

He may have lost Ianto for what? A few moments of pleasure and indulgence?

It was times like these Jack hated the Time Agency and what they did to him. What they turned him into.

"But I must be good. Ianto told me so." Jack said to the empty room. "I wouldn't be able to help so many if the good wasn't there in the first place. Please tell me I'm good. Tell me I'm not _wrong_."

The empty room gave no response and Jack curled up into the fetal position clutching the pictures to his chest, letting the tears stream freely down his cheeks.

*****

Ianto stared up at the ceiling, afraid to close his eyes because every time he did he saw Jack, covered in blood and grinning happily, his hand in another man's stomach.

Ianto growled in frustration. The one thing he wanted more than anything was Jack to wrap his arms around him and tell him it would be alright. That he would make it better. But at the same time that last thing Ianto wanted was to see Jack. He couldn't even think about Jack without feeling sick, yet Jack was the only thing on his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed and/or added this story to their alerts.

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"How are you Ianto?" Tosh asked, cornering him in the coffee area.

"I'm fine Tosh." Ianto insisted once more.

"Really? Because you haven't gone near Jack's office once today, you didn't stay for the team meeting, and you are spending more time in the archives and the tourist office than in the main area." Tosh pushed.

"I just...I need some time to think Tosh." Ianto pleaded, silently begging Tosh to drop it for now. "Why don't you come to mine after work today?"

"Sounds like a date. Should I stop by Tesco or are you stocked up?" Tosh asked, earning a small, brief smile from the young man.

"I'm all stocked up." Ianto told her, handing her her coffee. "Could you..."

"Take Jack his coffee?" Tosh finished for him. "Sure."

Ianto smiled at her and grabbed Owen and Gwen's mugs, balancing them carefully on the tray as he opened the door.

Owen grunted his thanks when Ianto put his coffee down and watched the younger man carefully, but discretely, as he walked away. There was something wrong with the Teaboy but unless it got drastically worse or he actually came to him for help Owen was going to stay out of it. Owen took a sip of his coffee and coughed. It was bitter. Really bitter. There was something seriously wrong with the Teaboy if his coffee was suffering. But Owen still wasn't going to get involved. That's what the girls on the team were for.

"Thanks Ianto." Gwen mumbled, snatching her mug away from the Welshman. "I've been craving coffee forever!"

Ianto left the coffee tray on his desk and descended into the archives so he wouldn't have to be reminded of what happened the day before.

*****

Jack watched as Ianto made his rounds with the coffee and called Tosh in when she knocked on his door.

"Thanks." Jack murmured, accepting the cup from Tosh.

Ianto had carefully avoided him all day and Jack did his best to respect Ianto's wishes and leave him alone, but it was getting harder not to follow him down into the archives as the day wore on.

"Can I get you anything else Jack?" Tosh asked softly.

"Erase yesterday?" Jack asked bitterly.

"Every relationship has its bumps. You two will make it through this too." Tosh gave Jack a soft smile before she left his office, closing the door behind her and leaving the Captain to his thoughts.

*****

"Okay," Tosh started, pouring Ianto another shot of brandy. "What happened to make you this miserable?"

"I saw Jack...doing something and...he was like a different person." Ianto told her. "Now whenever I think of Jack all I see is him...doing what he did."

"I don't think you could be more cryptic if you tried." Tosh scolded and Ianto downed his drink and she poured him another.

"Sorry. It's just...I know it happened but it's like saying it out loud will make it more real." Ianto once again downed the drink Tosh had poured for him and held his glass out for another.

Tosh looked at him dubiously but poured him another shot anyway. Ianto quickly drank this shot as well but put his glass on the table and closed his eyes instead of asking for more.

"He tortured the prisoner Tosh. I mean really tortured. Not just scared or intimidated but beaten to a bloody pulp tortured." Ianto whimpered slightly and Tosh moved around the table to cradle him. "I've never seen anything so horrible Tosh. He cut the guy's stomach open and put his hand inside Tosh. He put his hand inside a man so he could grab his organs."

Tosh gasped in surprise but stayed silent. Ianto needed her support, not her opinion.

"But if it was just that I could have handled it." Ianto admitted. "It was horrible but I could have accepted that Jack needed to do it."

Tosh waited for Ianto to continue but when he didn't she prompted him. "What was the worst part Yan?"

"He enjoyed it." Ianto whispered, his voice breaking.

To Tosh he had never looked more like a lost little boy than he did now.

"He beat and tortured a man and stuck his hand inside him and he _enjoyed_ it." Ianto buried his face in Tosh's shoulder as his body started shaking. "How could anyone enjoy doing something like that Tosh?"

"I don't know Ianto." Tosh admitted, stroking the younger man's hair. "But Jack isn't from here and he isn't a normal guy either. We don't know everything about him and we don't know what the culture he grew up in is like."

Tosh held Ianto as he fell apart against her and murmured to him soothingly until he calmed down again.

"Did you talk to him about it?" Tosh asked, rubbing Ianto's back.

"I couldn't." Ianto admitted. "I was too horrified by what I had seen and he was standing there covered in blood and I just turned and ran. I ne..."

Ianto was cut off by Tosh's mobile ringing.

"Hello?" Tosh said, though she knew it was Jack.

"_Hey Tosh. I saw you leave with Ianto and I hoped you might be with him now."_ Jack's voice was hesitant.

"I am. Do you want to talk to him?" Tosh asked, getting ready to pass the phone over.

"_No. I don't want to disturb him. I was just wondering if you could let him know that if he wants it he is free to have the weekend off. The rift predictor says it's supposed to be quiet so barring alien invasion it should be pretty easy."_

"I'll let him know Jack. See you tomorrow." Tosh hung up after Jack said goodbye and turned back to Ianto. "Jack said that you should feel free to take the weekend off as it's going to be quiet. He suggested maybe going to see your family. Spend some time away from Torchwood and everything related to it."

"He hates me doesn't he?" Ianto asked sadly. "That's why he doesn't want me in the Hub anymore. He hates me."

"He doesn't hate you Ianto." Tosh promised. "He's just worried about you and he wants to make sure you still have some sort of life outside of Torchwood. It's not a punishment Ianto. Everyone needs some time off every once in a while."

"He doesn't hate me?" Ianto asked.

"He doesn't hate you. But you have had too much to drink so I'm going to put you to bed."

Tosh helped Ianto stand up and steadied him when he started swaying. They made their way into the bedroom slowly and Ianto collapsed on the bed.

Tosh carefully pulled off his shoes, socks, trousers, and shirt, leaving him to sleep in his boxers. She pulled the blankets over him and tucked him in like her mother used to do for her before going to leave. Ianto calling her name made her turn back to him though.

"Would you stay with me?" He asked quietly. "I don't like sleeping on my own. It lets the monsters in."

"Of course Yan."

Tosh grabbed a t-shirt from Ianto's dresser and slipped it on before pulling off the rest of her clothes, leaving her in his t-shirt and her panties. She climbed into bed next to Ianto and wrapped her arms around the young man, protecting him from the world as best she could.


	4. Chapter 4

"Mam?" Ianto called, pushing the door open.

"Ianto? Is that you?" Alice Jones called from the kitchen.

"Yeah Mam, it's me." Ianto said, making his way through the familiar house to the kitchen.

"Ianto Arthur Jones why didn't you tell me you were going to be coming today?" Alice asked, swatting his arm before pulling him into a tight hug. "You don't come home enough you silly boy."

"Sorry Mam." Ianto said sincerely, burying his face in her hair.

"You're staying for dinner." Alice told him, leaving no room for debate.

"I was actually hoping to spend the weekend here. I got some time off work unless there's an emergency and I thought I would spend it with you and Tad.

"Of course! I'll just go and put some fresh sheets in your room for you." Alice gave Ianto a final tight squeeze and a kiss on the cheek before releasing him. "It's good to see you Yan."

"It's good to see you too Mam."

Alice stared at Ianto for a moment and frowned slightly. "When you`re ready to talk I'll be ready to listen. Whatever it is we'll find a way to deal with it. For now there are fresh cookies in the tin."

"Thanks Mam." Ianto said, immediately going to the tin and pulling out a cookie.

Ianto sighed in pleasure as the warm cookie practically melted in his mouth. He really did need to come home more often.

"Mam!! Tad!!" Sulwyn's voice cut through the silence of the house.

Or maybe he should still stay away.

"I brought Dafydd home to mee...Ianto." Sulwyn gasped when she saw her brother standing in the kitchen.

"Hey little sis." Ianto managed before he found his arms full of squealing girl.

"Mam and Tad didn't tell me you were coming!!" Sulwyn's cornflower blue eyes sparkled with excitement as she squeezed Ianto again. "I've missed you so much!! You're a bloody bastard for not coming home more often!"

"I'm sorry." Ianto gasped. "Mam and Tad couldn't tell you because they didn't know. It was a last minute decision."

When Sulwyn loosened her grip Ianto pressed a kiss to the top of her head and ran his fingers through her silky blonde hair.

"I've missed you too. I'll try to be around more often from now on. Now who's Dafydd?"

"I am." A young man, 22 or 23 at the most, stepped into the room tentatively and held his hand out to Ianto. "My name is Dafydd Barry."

"Ianto Jones. I'm Sulwyn's oldest brother." Ianto took Dafydd's hand and approved of the firm handshake the other man gave.

"I thought I heard you yelling Sulwyn." Alice said, returning to the kitchen. "It's nice to see you again Dafydd."

"It's nice to see you too Mrs. Jones." Dafydd replied.

"What time are Kiah, Joey, and Kynan showing up?" Sulwyn asked, her arms snaking around her boyfriend's waist.

"They should be here any time now." Mam told her, shooing her hand away from the cookies while passing Ianto another one.

As if called, the front door slammed indicating the arrival Ianto's other siblings. Kiah and Kynan appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, laughing and teasing each other but fell silent when they saw Ianto. Joey, Kiah's husband, appeared shortly after, nearly bumping into the other two when they stopped suddenly.

"Hey Yan." Kynan said finally, breaking the silence.

"Hey. How are you?" Ianto asked, moving to give his younger brother a hug.

"I'm good. I love teaching and the kids are amazing." Kynan told him, running a hand through his short dirty blonde hair. "How are you? Got a new girlfriend yet or are you still sad and single?"

Only Kiah noticed Ianto's slight wince but she stayed quiet.

"No girlfriend." Ianto said with a tight smile. "My relationship status is a little...complicated at the moment."

"So you're with a bloke then." Sulwyn said before turning to look at Kynan. "You owe me 20 quid."

"He hasn't admitted it yet so I don't owe you anything!" Kynan protested.

"I...There is a guy, Jack, but we've had some problems lately." Ianto told them, nibbling on his cookie. "I don't know if we're going to stay together or not."

"That's enough of that for now." Alice said, pulling Ianto closer. "I want everyone to go and put their things away and get ready for dinner. If you're late you aren't getting any." She pulled Ianto down to give him a kiss on the cheek before shooing him out of the kitchen after his siblings.

Ianto was putting his clothes into the dresser when there was a light knock on the door and Kiah walked in without waiting for an answer. She sat on the bed silently while Ianto finished unpacking and waited for Ianto to come to her, knowing he would talk when he was ready.

Ianto finally sat down next to his sister and rested his head on her shoulder.

"How long have you guys known?" Ianto asked softly.

"Sulwyn and Kynan have been making bets since you were 18 I think but it cooled off a bit when you brought Lisa home. They started up again seven or eight months after she died. I guess they figured you hadn't brought anyone home because you were with a bloke." Kiah pulled Ianto closer against her and started rubbing his arm gently.

"I've been with Jack since I moved to Cardiff. I had never had feelings for a man before Jack. I had had a few thoughts but I never thought I would act on them." Ianto answered her unasked question knowing she would never ask him outright. "I felt guilty about it because it was so soon after Lisa and some things came up at work so we sort of broke it off. Jack was still there for me whenever I needed him, supporting me and helping me through everything. He even gave me more responsibilities as a team member."

"So you work together then?" Kiah asked when Ianto paused.

"He's my boss." Ianto confirmed before continuing his story. "We got back together and then he left unexpectedly on a trip. He didn't give us any warning and we had no way of contacting him to find out where he was. We dealt with it though and then he was back as suddenly as he had left."

Ianto shifted so he was lying down with his head in his sister's lap and she started carding her fingers through his hair, offering him silent comfort and strength.

"He told me that he wanted to do things right. That if I would forgive him for leaving and if I would take him back he would do things right. We would go on dates and be a real couple, not just a casual shag. I wanted it so badly Kiah. I took him back without a second thought."

Ianto stopped and Kiah could see he wanted to talk but that something was stopping him so she gave him a gentle prompt.

"Did you go out together as a real couple?"

"Yeah. And it was amazing. We would go out to dinner and then just spend the night talking." A small smile danced on Ianto's lips and it was the first real smile Kiah had seen since she arrived. "He was so sweet. It was a side of him I had never seen before but one I fell in love with. He practically moved into my flat and I don't think I've ever been happier."

Kiah could see tears welling in her brother's eyes and hated this man she had never met.

"What happened Yan?" She asked gently.

"I saw another side of him yesterday. One I don't think I can live with." Ianto whispered. "He was...interrogating someone and it started to get a bit violent and Jack was enjoying the violence and the pain. I don't know what to do Kiah. I don't know how to forget what he did or how to move past it but I miss him and I love him."

Kiah watched as the tears escaped Ianto's careful control and she wanted to kill the man who put them there.

"I think you did the right thing coming here Yan." Kiah said softly. "You need some time to yourself. Some time on your own, away from him, to think and figure out your feelings without any bias influence."

"But do I stay with him or do I leave him?" Ianto asked.

"That's something you have to decide on your own Yan. But whatever you decide I will be here to support you" Kiah said, making sure he was looking at her while she spoke. "And you can't think about what will make others happy. You have to choose what will make you happy."


	5. Chapter 5

"Jack is obviously some kind of incubus." Owen muttered to Tosh as more yells streamed from Jack's office. "He dies without the Teaboy's sex." Tosh and Owen ducked as an object came flying out of Jack's open door. "How long until Teaboy gets back?"

"He'll be back on Monday." Tosh told him, grinning when Owen groaned.

"Did Jack and the Teaboy at least work out their problem before Teaboy left?" Owen asked, stealing a chocolate from Tosh's drawer. "Because if they didn't then him being back won't change anything but the quality of the coffee."

"What do you mean?" Tosh asked, trying to hide her surprise. She didn't think Owen had noticed the tension between Jack and Ianto.

"Don't play dumb Tosh. You're too smart for that." Owen went to steal another chocolate but Tosh batted his hand away.

"When Ianto left they hadn't worked things out and I doubt Jack would be this bad if they had worked things out since." Tosh said quietly. "I don't know if they even can work things out."

Owen wrapped his arms around Tosh and pulled her closer to him, brushing her hair back from her face and trying to sooth her.

"Of course they'll work things out." He murmured. "They're Jack and Ianto. They belong together. Just look at all the CCTV footage you've complied. Whatever's going on they'll work through it and everything will be back to normal."

"So Rhys decided that it would be a good idea to invite our parents over for dinner together next weekend. I don't know how I'm going to survive an entire night of having to be civil to his mother while trying to keep his mother and my mother from killing each other." Gwen said, dropping her bags by her desk. "Where's Ianto? I could really use a coffee right now."

"Ianto has the weekend off. He's gone to visit his family." Tosh said, pulling away from Owen.

"Oh." Gwen said with a little frown. "I thought all of Ianto's family was dead." Gwen shrugged and smiled. "I'm going to go talk to Jack."

"You might not want to do that." Owen warned. "He's not in the best mood right now and I think he's been talking to UNIT all day."

"Then I'll go cheer him up." Gwen said, ignoring Owen and going to Jack's office. Gwen came out of Jack's office shortly after she entered, pouting. "He's on the phone talking to someone named Martha and said I had to leave."

Gwen sat down at her desk to pout before she started playing Solitaire and looking for a new pair of boots on e-Bay. Tosh and Owen got back to their work and barely blinked when Jack stormed out of his office a few minutes later saying he was going out.

Owen worked for another hour before he got bored and grabbed his things.

"Would you like to go out for drink with me Tosh?" He asked.

"Sure." Tosh replied instantly, scribbling a note to Jack before grabbing her things. "Coming Gwen?"

Owen raised an eyebrow at Tosh and Tosh shrugged back. Better to take Gwen with them than risk her being here alone when Jack returned. Gwen smiled and grabbed her things, following the other two out, oblivious to their exchange.

Soon after they left the Hub Tosh's cell rang with a text from Jack telling her to take the next day off and to tell the others to take the day off as well. That he would call if he needed them.

Owen glanced down at the text and grinned. "Guess that means we can get wasted since we don't have to worry about work."

"But now that you've said that aliens are going to invade bright and early while we still have hangovers." Tosh admonished with a grin.

"Whatever." Owen said, slinging his arm over Tosh's shoulder.

*****

Jack stood on the roof, coat blowing in the wind, and wished again that he could end it. He hated knowing that he was going to live forever. The Universe would end and he would still continue because he was _wrong_. A fixed point in time.

Jack sighed and kicked a pebble off the roof and watched as it fell to the ground and split in half.

He had tried to go weevil hunting but even that had reminded him of Ianto.

Everything reminded him of Ianto.

Jack sighed and checked his wrist strap for any unusual readings. Anything at all. Anything to distract him from his thoughts.

But there was nothing.

For once Cardiff was perfectly normal.


	6. Chapter 6

"Ianto Ianto Ianto!"

Ianto woke to find his younger sister bouncing on his bed and trying to pull his covers away. For a moment he was confused and couldn't figure out why he was sleeping at his parent's house and then the last two days came rushing back.

Ianto groaned and rolled over, burying his face in his pillow, hoping Sulwyn would get the hint and leave him alone.

"Get up Ianto get up!!" Sulwyn insisted, finally succeeding in getting Ianto's blankets away from him. "Mam made waffles but said we can't have any until you get your arse down there too."

"Mam wouldn't say arse." Ianto grumbled at her, refusing move an inch.

"You know what I mean." Sulwyn growled, grabbing Ianto's ankle.

Ianto yelped when he found himself sliding across his bed and falling to the floor.

"Ow." Ianto groaned, rubbing his head where it hit the bedside table.

"It's your own fault for not getting out of bed on your own."

"Just tell Mam that I'm not hungry." Ianto insisted, trying to get his sister to leave him alone.

"And let her put EVERYTHING on hold to make sure you aren't sick and dying? Yeah right." Sulwyn scoffed, helping Ianto stand. "Just come down for breakfast then you can go back to moping in your room."

"Whatever." Ianto said, pulling on a t-shirt and a pair of sweats.

"Look, the Zombie made it down for breakfast." Kynan teased.

"I would say more of a vampire." Joey corrected. "Up all night, sleep all day."

"Ha ha ha" Ianto grumbled, collapsing into his chair.

Ianto ate the waffles that Mam put in front of him but he didn't really taste them or pay attention to the conversations going on around him.

"Are you okay?" Kiah asked Ianto quietly when everyone was finishing their breakfast. "You've been awfully quiet this morning."

"I'm okay." Ianto told her, giving her a quick hug. "I just...there's a call I have to make."

"Okay. Good luck." Kiah murmured, giving her brother a kiss on the forehead.

"Thanks."

Ianto made his way back up to his room and sank down onto the bed. He grabbed his mobile from the bedside table and stared at it, taking a deep breath before dialling the number from memory.

"_Harkness."_ Jack answered gruffly on the first ring.

"Hey Jack." Ianto said softly.

"_Ianto."_ Jack's tone changed instantly. _"It's good to hear from you. What can I do for you?"_

"I'm sorry Jack." Ianto said, closing his eyes and trying to block out the feelings that were trying to overwhelm him. "I wish I was there talking to you in person and not over the phone but I can never think straight when you're around." Ianto paused and took a few deep breaths to calm himself before continuing. "I love you Jack, I really do, but I can't do this anymore. Something always happens to pull us apart and it is just too hard to keep going through the heartache. I'm so sorry Jack."

Ianto heard Jack take a deep breath and waited for some sort of response.

"_I understand."_ Jack said finally. _"I love you too Yan and if there's anything I can do for you you just have to ask. I will always be there for you."_

Ianto felt the tears sliding down his cheeks but knew he had to tell Jack the whole truth.

"I...I'm leaving Torchwood." Ianto managed to whisper. Jack's silence made Ianto's tears flow faster. "I'm sorry Jack but I know I wouldn't be able to handle it if I had to see you every day and be reminded of what I lost. What I threw away."

"_What...what are you going to do?"_ Jack asked. Ianto only heard the break in the older man's voice because he knew him so well.

"I'm going to work for UNIT. They've been offering me a position for years but I always turned them down because I was happy being with you."

"_At least I don't have to retcon you then."_ Jack said with a small laugh that told Ianto he was crying too. _"It would be pretty pointless as UNIT deals with aliens and with Torchwood. Too many things to trigger memories."_

"I...thank you Jack." Ianto whispered. He had been terrified of losing all his memories of Jack and Torchwood. "I'm going to miss you Jack."

"_I'll miss you too Ianto." _Ianto heard Jack take a shaky breath. _"Take care of yourself and stay safe okay?"_

"I will Jack. Good bye."

"_Good bye Ianto."_

Ianto hung up, knowing he had just ended a big part of his life, and let his tears flow freely.

END

Thank you to everyone who read. I hope you enjoyed the story!


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